The present invention relates to a labeling machine.
In particular, the present invention relates to a manually operated labeling machine for the application of labels bearing one or more captions, e.g. indications about the products whereon the label is applied. In greater detail, the present invention is suitable for use in warehouses and/or in any commercial activity, such as department stores, supermarkets, shops and/or the like in which there is a need to affix various types of commercial and/or informational indications.
As is well known, there are manually operated labeling machines that comprise a load-bearing structure, within which is provided a device for feeding a label-holder tape. The label-holder tape is guided within the load-bearing structure to an area of application of the labels, whereat each label borne by the tape is detached from it to be affixed on a respective surface of the product of interest.
To allow the advance of the label holder tape within the load-bearing structure, known labeling machines are provided with an appropriate actuating device which pulls the tape downstream of the application area, making it advance towards an area of discharge of the tape without the labels.
Such labeling machines are also provided with a member for arresting and/or braking the tape to allow the application of each label without the occurrence of undesired dragging of the tape. In particular, prior art labeling machines are provided, between the tape feeding member and the area of application of the labels, with a series of mechanism that continuously press the label-holder tape against an abutment surface present within the load-bearing structure. In this way, the label-holder tape is maintained in a fixed position allowing the complete detachment of the label to be applied.
Known labeling machines further comprise a control device, usually constituted by a movable element which has an appropriate grip, operatively connected to the actuation device to bring, to the application area, consecutively to each other, the labels borne by the tape. In particular, when the control device is operated manually, the cooperation between the latter and the actuation device intensely drive the label holder tape which, overcoming the blocking forces exercised by the arresting device, advances as described above.
Within the structure is also provided a printing element able to deposit on each label, upstream of the application area, a predefined quantity of ink according to pre-set motifs, whereby the aforementioned commercial and/or informational indications are obtained.
To allow correctly to print the aforesaid motifs on each label, a device is also provided for adjusting the position of the tape relative to the printing element.
Considering that labeling machines can be used with tapes of variable format and therefore with labels having different pitch (distance between two successive labels) and dimensions, it is essential to be able to modify the position of the tape, in order to assure that each print is correctly impressed on each label. The adjusting device is generally constituted by a movable slide, positioned at the area of application of the labels, and provided with a tape transmission roller. The slide is movable within a sliding guide to vary the distance between the transmission roller and the application area, thus modifying the path of the tape.
The adjusting device further presents a tightening screw, able to lock the slide in the desired position.
Generally, the tightening screw is positioned externally in view, to enable manual interventions thereon without having to open the body of the structure. In this way, when the operator has to intervene on the slide, the screw is loosened to allow to change the positioning of the roller and consequently to adjust the labels relative to the printing element. Once the correct position is found, the screw is tightened, locking the entire slide and the respective transmission roller in position.
Although prior art labeling machines do enable the printing and satisfactory application of labels on the packages and/or surfaces of the products of interest, the Applicant has observed that they are not free of some drawbacks, mainly in relation to the use of the device for adjusting the positioning of the tape.
In particular, a first drawback is that the tightening screw is generally positioned along the path of the tape downstream of the area of application of the labels. Therefore, the screw is obscured and not immediately visible by the user.
It should also be considered that the tightening screw is difficult to operate, because of the presence of the tape which obscures the screw itself.
Consequently, action on the screw, in addition to being inconvenient, entails the partial breakage of the tape downstream of the area of application of the labels, which tape must be moved aside to uncover the screw itself.
An additional drawback is given by the difficulty in adjusting the device, due to the manual actuation of the slide along the aforementioned sliding guide. Therefore, any manual errors in adjusting the slide cause the erroneous positioning between print and pre-print or even printing on two contiguous labels.